Dragon's Breath
by FionaGina
Summary: A new prophecy arises as Middle Earth reaches its darkest hour when what had been set in after Sauron's defeat surfaces and it is the fate of a half blood Hobbit to return the peace.
1. Chapter 1

_After Frodo's Journey to the Undying Lands, new gate ways opened for the people of Middle-Earth. Hobbits, Dwarves, and even Elves started to band together making allies; Man were at peace with all beings and adventures sprouted to the seas, away from the Undying Lands. During the voyages, undiscovered races were found. Elves were acquainted with Dark Elves of the Northern lands. Dwarves met cousins dubbed Brownies, a hairier bunch in the South. And the Man that were found had strange faces, some with wide set noses, some with almond eyes, others were similar to the Man of Gondor but had larger builds._

_The aftermath of these encounters were the joining of new worlds to Middle-Earth…and the destruction of peace. Wild men and strange animals infected the forests, the original plants not able to withstand the dominance. Ents were killed and used for houses by these new peoples. The Elves mated with Dark Elves, producing odd orc like offspring. From this, the Elves had banned any marriage of other beings. Lady Arwen had become the prime warning for the Elves as her crown was taken and she was hung and burned._

_From this Man and Elves entered into a civil war. _

_Dwarves became greedy as they stayed in their caves to avoid the war, until mountains crumpled inside from the hollowness of the rock. Dwarves in caves were extinct and mining became an old legend as the war continued. Brownies were left without a home too, and the cousins formed homes near harbors and the ocean. They were on no one's side. _

_More creatures were found in the new worlds and soon, the inhabitants of Middle-Earth became part of them. As that came, the war ended, but the once alliance of Elves and Man had been broken and could not be mended. The worlds changed and new technologies came into reality, cities destroyed and revived, enemies awoken and friends lost. _

_What of Hobbits' fate?_

_The Hobbits as small burrowing folk were nearly extinguished in the wars and dangerous animals. Elves hunted them for practice, the Shire suffered the colonization of skin crawlers and Hobbits fled into the forest. Years passed and it was found a few groups had found a home in what was Bree, but as Elves were gaining power and Man apathetic, the Hobbits were hunted again; although still some survived, mated with others, and their blood carried, mixed in with the new races. Pure blooded Hobbits gone…as believed by all._

"Push," says the father. He holds tight, knuckles whitening, as his wife screams with the infant's cries joining her. The now grandfather of the infant watches the mid wife wrap the small bundle in a blanket. She cuts the umbilical cord as the mother breathes and sees the child being handed to her.

"He's…" she chokes, "beautiful." The mother has blonde hair with green eyes, her skin pale with pink cheeks. She is very short. The new father comes in as he looks at his son for the first time proper. His hair goes in spikes and is black edged in red, eyes a dark purple and skin pale, also short.

"Oh, let me see him," says the grandfather. His greyed hair and dark purple eyes resemble his son's image. The three stare at the small infant. Mana, the mother, wipes away the amniotic fluid on him and sees his hair is dark as his father, but the bangs have some light brown etching. The eyes are a deep amethyst, not like a dull purple.

"Look at him, Yami," she says. "He's so tiny."

"Yes," Yami says, with foreboding in his voice. Solomon, the grandfather furrows his brow.

"Well, my work is done," says the mid wife, "good luck to you." She leaves without another word. Mana rocks the baby boy as he observes the people surrounding him.

"He's going to be small," Solomon says. "We three retain the Hobbit blood line, but I never imagined it could strengthen in you," he said with caution as Yami glared. Yami squeezed Mana's hand as she cradled her child. Mana kisses him and he coos for he recognizes the woman as his mother.

"What shall we name him?" Yami said. Mana smiles and rubs her nose to her baby.

"Yugi."

Solomon nods in approval and Yami hums at the name. "Yugi, my mother's tongue for game, yeah, that's right. Yugi, I'm your father, Yami," he says as he holds Yugi's tiny hand, "and that means darkness." Yugi coos as he attempts to tighten the hold of his father's large fingers. Mana giggles tiredly.

_The Next Day_

Yami yawns loudly and stretches out his back. He slumps in the chair and cracks his neck. "One night and I feel as if I've hauled several loads of barley and yet I couldn't be prouder."

"I know, I was in the room," Solomon comments as he hands Yami a plate of bread and cheese.

"Thanks," Yami chomps into the bread. "It's time for me to head out, tell Mana I will be back at noon."

Yami leaves for his job at the neighbor's farm. The house is small but welcoming with finished furniture and clothes. Solomon starts on tea for his daughter in law and waits for the day.

Mana feeds Yugi as he drinks his milk. "You are such a hungry boy." Mana giggles as Yugi finishes, he seems to give her a contemplative look. "Your eyes are old," Mana says furrowing her brow. "My my, Yugi, Hobbit blood and Dark Elf blood," Mana shakes her head, "I pray for you my child."

Solomon takes the tea off the stove and pours two cups. He carries one to Mana in her room

"Mana," he whispers.

"Right here, Yugi's awake." Solomon smiles as he enters with the tea. "Here, my late wife said this will ease any illness you still feel."

"Thank you." Yugi in one arm she takes the tea in her hand. "Smells good, what is in it."

"Baby's breath and mirliton shavings."

"That's strange," Mana says as she sips it. "Mm, tastes good."

"I added cinnamon. Nikita preferred the bitter taste; she said her Dark Elf side kept her that way."

Mana smiles as she sips from the drink. The baby whines as he wants his mother to pay attention. "Oh, Yugi," Mana says rolling her eyes. She places the cup on the table nearby and rocks her boy. A simple peaceful life she hopes for her family.

_3 years later_

Yugi draws on the wall with his chalk. Grampa had left in the morning for the day and he was to be alone again. Yugi a toddler now was quite old in his manner. He did not know his mother's voice or his father's hands, them being taken from him as a babe, and he knew Grampa did not always tell the truth. He sighed as his drawing turned again into a silver winged lizard. Yugi did not understand how his hands came to the white chalk making the lizard. He picked up the blue chalk and made two balls for eyes. Yugi stares at the lizard and smiles. The drawing gave him a warm feeling after he had finished.

His day continued as it started. Grampa would leave early in the morning and have breakfast made, although it would be cold when Yugi woke up. He had to eat it and then milled around a house, no food until Grampa returned home. They lived in New Laketown where it was chilly with scoundrels lurking as Grampa said. Yugi never left his house, Grampa made sure to lock all the doors and windows. Yugi picked up his chalks and went to put them up on the small dresser for him. He was short for a three year old with large feet for his height and he had tri-colored hair, streaks of red on the edges with a black base and his bangs blond. His eyes had remained amethysts.

Yugi walked clumsily, his feet making it difficult for him to move, to the window with his Grampa's chair and climbed. He could look out the window from the top of the chair and see the decrepit village standing on stilts and the filthy streets. Yugi saw this but he watched the children playing with a ball. He wanted to be part of that world. Yugi turned and looked at his winged lizard, at least he had him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, so to all LOTR fans I just want to say I am not well versed in the story outside of the movies, so please do not get mad at anything wrong I have about this world, just tell me and I will do my best to fix it. Thank you.**

* * *

_12 years pass by_

"Alright lads, last item up for bid," yelled the auctioneer. In the underground slave trade, the many masters were all sitting and enjoying the view of the new item up for sale: an elf. Not just any elf, as the auctioneer announced, but one of royal blood. The elf was a boy, easily mistaken for a small breasted girl, with white hair and chocolate brown eyes. He was trussed in golden silk ties to a gurney being held by two trolls. His hair style and finery revealed the truth of his lineage and the bidding commenced.

"15000 draculs!"

"17000 draculs!"

"25000 draculs!"

The auctioneer kept bringing the bid higher, plotting to get to one million for this prize. The elf on the gurney started to blink as the drug wore off. At quarter of a million draculs, he was aware that the nightmare he suffered from the previous night had been real. He lowered his head and resided to his fate.

"Half his weight in gold," said a smooth, masculine voice. The crowd went silent as every head turned to the man in the back, dressed finely in robes of cotton and with a bag of gold as his heel; next to him stood a hooded slave who had his bare feet out in the cold.

"Tha.." the auctioneer was stunned. "Sold! A thousand times over."

The elf was wheeled to his new owner, shivering at the sight of the man. He was huge with a long red beard and cold eyes, like his sister's dolls. The man gave the gold to the trolls and told them to release his new slave. The elf was unstrapped and pushed to his master. The master leered at him and chuckled. He directed the elf to follow, the short slave grabbing his hand. The elf, as he was being put to his fate, was astonished at the softness of the hand holding him. He felt protectiveness in the small one's hand and warmth he had not felt in ages.

He wanted to cry from the sheer love that the small one was giving, but instead squeezed hi hand.

* * *

"I am Dicho, your new owner," Dicho said as he locked the elf in chains. The wagons Dicho owned were two regular ones and a steel caged contraption for his slaves. "And beautiful one, what is your name?"

The elf was quiet not wanting to give himself away so easily. That changed as Dicho lifted his shirt and drew a blade along his stomach.

"I suggest you tell me, or your price goes down at the next sale." He emphasized this by putting pressure on the blade, drawing blood.

"Ryou! Of the Red Wood Elves. Please, take the blade away."

Dicho did, with a satisfactory smirk on his face. He left the wagon. Ryou's breaths came out ragged as he knew he was still bleeding. He was in a daze as he looked to his left to see two more slaves. They had watched the exchange as a normal occurrence, having been through it before, with deeper wounds. Both human, a woman with mousy brown hair, and kind blue eyes; the other was a boy, as Ryou could tell, near his age, with blond messy hair and deep brown eyes, almost black. The way he stared at Ryou reminded him of a dog watching its trespasser. He was one of them, nothing more than to be bought and sold as the master wished. Used for any tasks…any tasks.

Ryou felt a jolt of panic wind through at the thought of being on his back for the rest of his life. He saw the way those men stared. Dicho did too, but he was not interested, Ryou hoped.

Someone came in; the small one from before. Ryou watched him as he handed food to the other two. Then he knelt down in front of the blond and examined his leg and that is when Ryou noticed he was bandaged.

"Joey, I told you not to scratch at it," said the small one. Ryou was yet again astonished, his voice was like the purest bells made by the Rivendell elves of old.

"Ah, psh, wat dote it matta? Dicko ova dere gunna can me," Joey argued.

"Don't say that," said the small one. He replaced the bandages with clean ones.

"He's right," said the woman. She tried to straighten her hair with her fingers. "Dicho's going to sell us soon and I need to look presentable for my next master." She stopped her voice monotone.

The small one sighed heavily. He then turned to Ryou. Ryou could not see through that accursed hood. He wanted to see this being which made him feel safe and had a heavenly voice.

"Don't worry, I have food for you too," the small one said, finishing the bandages. "Joey, please no more scratching," the small one pleaded.

"Shur, Ima keep ma hands here," he relented, placing his hands on his food.

The small one nodded and took the last of the food to Ryou. Ryou looked at the food offered to him. Stale bread and some dried fruit, he ate it gratefully. The small one did not speak nor introduce himself, but that was fine it gave Ryou chance to observe this being. He noticed his feet were bare in this early spring, although he seemed warm in his cloak and pants. Ryou stared at the feet. They were quite large for someone so small and his toes were slightly hairy with black curly hair. Ryou's eyes wandered elsewhere to the small one; he had a delicate frame, like Ryou, but he was undoubtedly a boy by his build and narrow hips. Also, not even the most flat chested could have a breast that small unless she bind them and Ryou knew the small one had no womanly breasts. He was dressed in the same fine material as the master, short of being a few years old as the master's was new. The small one was pale as Ryou saw and he had manicured fingernails.

"That's odd," Ryou said.

"What is?"

He jolted at hearing the bells again. "Sorry, I meant no offense," Ryou said, stammering for a diversion. "Uh…what's your name?"

"Yugi," said the being.

"Oh," Ryou was relieved.

"What's odd about me?"

Ryou tensed but decided he had been caught. "Your fingernails are manicured," he said pointing, "and it's…strange that a slave master would pay for that."

Yugi was silent. He stood and took Ryou's remains and picked up the dirty bandages. Joey had a wild look in his eyes as the woman gave him a cold aura. He did not understand.

Yugi hopped out of the wagon and locked the gate. "See you in the morning," he said.

* * *

"Dats why I don't keer fer elf-folk. Dey git in business not fer dem," said Joey coldly.

"Wh-what have I done?" Ryou said, cowering in his side of the wagon, praying the dog would not kick him.

"Isn't obvious Princeling," said the woman. "We're in here and Yugi is out there, dressed in finery and fed better. He is the master's favorite," she spat.

Just then, Ryou had a surge of anger go through him. The master _used_ Yugi, as if he was nothing. He started to shake, not with fear, but fury. He hardly knew this strange being and yet he urged to protect him, as he did Ryou walking out of the auction and feeding him.

"Look, ya fool, wese gots a plan out, and youse not su'pos ta be here, so be quiet like and alls go good, got it?" Joey said, staring at him.

Ryou nodded. He then looked to the woman. She nodded, point to the chains and pulling hers a bit apart. Ryou understood. Perfectly. He was in the middle of a plan to escape.

_One month earlier_

_Yugi was drained of energy. The master had gone so hard that night. His gait faltered from the pain and the warm liquid of blood trickled down his pant leg. Tea saw it and gasped. She grabbed Yugi and allowed him to cry on her._

"_We have to leave," she said. "If not for us then for him, Joey; at this rate, Dicho will kill him."_

"_Ima gonna kill dat bastard foist," Joey fumed, but felt the restraint of his collar._

"_Escape…"_

_It was a wisp of voice that was gone in a moment, but both Joey and Tea heard. And thus a plan to escape the master for asylum in the outlands was formed by the three slaves.  
_


	3. Chapter 3

Ryou was rehearsed in the plan as well as could be done. Dicho was going to Alles Klar, formerly the kingdom of Rohan. Escaping from there, the four had the chance of finding horses and getting to the outlands, where by law no creature was enslaved. Alles Klar had many freed slaves because of its proximity to the outlands.

He was told that the other two driving the wagons were young dwarves, Weavil Underwood and Rex Raptor, and they were easily fooled. Yugi had taken materials from his master, butter knives, rusted nails, and unused yarn, for them to fashion a way out of the chains.

Tea demonstrated one night, as they were stopped, that her chains came off. "The knives and nails had broken through the lock yours will be harder because he uses mithril when he has elves."

"He…he's had others?" Ryou asked, shocked.

"Yes, many. But when you are taken out for inspection, the chains come off and the collar is simpler to break," Tea explained. She pointed to Joey having his inspection.

Dicho watched as Rex charged at the human but was foiled and landed on his behind in disgrace. Joey's wild look was back. Ryou had been told he was not completely human; he had some skin crawler in his blood. That was why he was so strong and resembled a dog at times. Weavil was next. His behind landed and a thunderous crash and _thwak! _on the table near the fire.

"What will he inspect me for?" Ryou asked.

Tea bit her bottom lip and shut her eyes. "Your purity."

Ryou trembled again.

"Do not be worried. He's a monster, but he won't do anything to harm you. He'll ask you to undress and have you spread your legs…and check."

"Check for what? By Elbereth, woman chec—"

Tea slapped him when Joey let out a battle cry as instructed. "Quiet." She breathed and rubbed her arm to work how to tell the elf. She leaned in, Ryou following her. "He will check to see if you have been taken before. In any form."

"Oh," was all Ryou managed. "Well, I haven't, in any form."

"That's…good." Tea raised her brow. "I do not need to know."

"That's why I was sold."

"What?" Tea asked.

"Nothing," Ryou muttered.

He looked away and saw that Yugi had been standing there. "How long have you been here, precious one?" Ryou asked. He learned Yugi was quiet and could go unnoticed if he so chose. That was why he was able to get things. Joey had said Yugi even had daggers hidden somewhere.

"The inspection won't be bad," he said. "Master Dicho will only look. He won't touch you unless he finds signs of impurity."

Ryou was quiet. His body trembled again with fury. He did not understand how it changed rapidly from fear to anger, however it was done. He had not seen Yugi's face. Tea and Joey admitted they never saw the young one's face once. Suddenly, a frustrated battle cry came from Weavil. Joey with swift movement stopped him dead on. The dwarf was on the ground.

"Enough," Dicho said. "Good show, Mutt. Keep it up and I might get you in a mandingo fight. Wouldn't that be something to watch, Lovely?"

Another thing Ryou hated about his "master" was he never addressed Yugi by his name.

"Yes, Dicho," Yugi said.

"Come help these fools up,"Dicho said, walking away from the two dwarves groaning on the ground. Joey cleaned himself with a bucket of slightly dirty water as Yugi struggled lifting the dwarves.

"What was that for?!" Rex screamed at Joey.

"Doan what masta says," he replied, putting on his shirt.

"You nearly killed us, you worthless Mutt."

Joey growled. Yugi whimpered and tried to keep Weavil, who had to have a stitch sewn from joining in the fight.

"You're lucky we can't just kill you," Rex continued. "My ax could do way more damage than my hands, and then Weavil's harpoon has more power than those giant paws of yours, Mutt."

Joey growled again. "Betta stop callin' me Mutt ya midget."

It went silent for a moment. One thing that all folk know is never ever ever call a dwarf a _midget._

"I'll kill you!" Rex went at Joey who easily brought him down. What was unexpected was Weavil punching Yugi in the gut and picking up his harpoon. He ran straight to Joey.

Tea screamed for her friend's life. No one noticed the other figure running. Tea had shown him, although the lock looked secure, it actually had been broken for days, held in place by yarn of the same color

Ryou tackled Weavil to the ground and took the harpoon from him. He stood up and placed the weapon at the dwarf's throat.

"Don't you move, scum," said Ryou. Joey placed Rex in a headlock. Yugi groaned to get up. He was pushed to the ground.

"I see my slaves are having fun," said Dicho, coldly.

Yugi started to shake. Ryou was freed of the harpoon by Rex who helped Weavil up. Joey stood stock still waiting for the punishment.

Dicho stared at his property. They were all frightened, including his new one, who his Lovely had taken a liking to. If they were so scared he reasoned punishment would not be right. For now. The incident was minor and the dwarves were real idiots believing to take on his champion. Dicho looked down at his treasure on the ground.

_If not a whole beating for them, I could have my Lovely find me more jewels_. Dicho nodded. He bent down to help his treasure up, until a thud resounded. A glistening knife, one he had forgotten lay at his treasure's large feet. "What is that?" Dicho asked.

The properties were motionless. Dicho had a crazed look in his eye. He grabbed his treasure hard and took him to his tent.

* * *

The tent was large and had a lavish bed with pillows and silk sheets. That's where he threw his treasure. Outside he heard the Mutt's protest, but those idiot dwarves had gotten their weapons and stood guard.

"Now, Lovely, let me take a look at what else you've stolen."

Dicho ripped Yugi's clothes off, roughly yanking the hood. It revealed a baby face of a boy with large amethyst eyes. His hair had grown and he kept in small pig tails the red and black swirling with each other, while his bangs stayed the same. Yugi shook, as Dicho ripped through his layers. Once down to his undergarments, the man had discovered the knives and rope he had saved, also some medicine he knew they would need. Dicho's eyes became angered with every rip.

"Funny, my Lovely, how our best thought plans crumble from simple mistakes. Trying to take away more of my property like last time. You know that Bakura fellow was worth his price. Are you trying to save your friends again?" Dicho sneered. "You'll never escape me, and I'm not letting you take more slaves away." Dicho grabbed Yugi's last remnant of clothing and removed almost lovingly. "Now spread them."

* * *

Ryou started to cry. His elf ears and eyes were a curse sometimes as they were a blessing. The whimpers of pain and faint thrusting sounds were killing him. The three of them were in the cage, heavily chained, Joey muzzled because he tried to bite Rex's finger. The whimpers after a while turned into shouts. Then screams. Tea cried along with Ryou and Joey shook against his chains.

"Wow, you hear that?" whispered Weavil.

"Shut up," Rex demanded.

"I don't like this, Rex. We're not the most noble dwarves, but by Mahal, we aren't killers and rapists. Rex, if we stay here we might be next." Weavil was referring to the previous dwarves who "disappeared."

"Not killers, what were you planning with that harpoon?"

Rex spoke a little louder as the screams intensified. He had to admit, the man sickened, and the sweet slave he had did not deserve this life.

"Just a bit of scaring that beast," Weavil replied, trying to lighten the mood. The screams had died. "I thought he would choke you for attacking him like that."

"No, he's a beast, but he isn't a killer."

They were quiet again. The reticent forest had fallen to the only noise being made. Deep sorrow filled sobs.

* * *

A week had passed and Yugi was held in the wagon and tent, resting. Dicho had changed the course slightly, taking the longer road to the borders of Alles Klar. Ryou and the others were eating and watching the days go by. Joey was in sorts all the time; fidgety, reacting at the slightest sound. He missed his friend.

Ryou and Tea were composed, but they too had fear of the sudden change in course.

One day, Dicho had them stop. Ryou looked out from his cage, blanket wrapped tightly around him. They had taken a mountain road at some point and Ryou started to recognize it as the Blue Sun Pass, in the Sunny Mountains of former Moria. The name itself was a misnomer, a ray of neither sunshine nor star light showed through the clouds and dense fog during the spring. Ryou also remembered a rumor of a dragon.

No, that's wrong, he thought. Our dragons are extinct. They were killed by the Dragons of the Eastern Man…oh no!

"We need to get off this path," Ryou yelled, hoping for it to reach the monster Dicho.

"Why's that, Elfling?" asked Rex, huffing.

"A dragon lives nearby. One of the East. The Treasure of Moria was rediscovered by brownies and remade to its former glory until new dragons came, more terrifying than ours. They can't be killed by a black arrow!" Ryou emphasized.

Rex and Weavil were concerned. A dragon impervious to a black arrow! The very thought sent chills down their spines. Then an eerie cackle sent a bigger chill through their blood.

Dicho smiled menacing as he saw the horror written on his property's faces.

"Exactly, young Princeling. You see, I don't just make my fortune by selling the perfect slaves, I also deal with theft. I had quite a band of thieving slaves, my Lovely included, but that's where I went wrong." He turned to face all his property. "You see, my treasure decided to get greedy. So, three years ago, he freed all my former slaves. They ran, including my best one. He looked similar to you, Princeling," Dicho pointed to Ryou, who trembled in fury. "But not quite as tempting," he licked his lips. Ryou felt violated. "My Lovely set them free, but I, the greatest master, did not reprimand him. You see, he offered me…a gift I could not refuse. One I've been enjoying these past years. However, if he plans on being greedy with my property, then I must be compensated for."

At this Dicho whistled. From his wagon, Yugi came out, shakily at first but had his footing in place. He had on trousers and a simple cotton shirt. That was the first time they saw his face. It was evident he had been crying and his baby face gave it all away. Dicho summoned Yugi to the front wagon.

"Here I make a proposition. This key was taken from an elf lord some years ago and ended in my possession, it opens the passage to the former Moria mind here," he pointed to the side. Ryou gasped, he felt so stupid not to recognize the passage. "My Lovely is to enter this way and find me the prize gem of the brownies, the Matrix Opal Skull, by the third night fall, when we are in the borders. Hear that, five days, no more. If you succeed, I will let you all go. But, fail and I will kill the Mutt and girl. The elf is too valuable."

Yugi nodded and shook hands, despite the protests from his friends. He would have to wait till they left to start. Dicho called the wagons to go, Yugi on the mountain road with no provisions or horse.

His friends screamed his name the whole time.


End file.
